I think this will only work if the remote codes are different for the existing DVR and the AnyRoom Terminal box that you want to add. I'm pretty sure they're the same and the remote commands will be acted on by both simultaneously - very bad. Nice try though.

- Mike

Been thinking about this. The remote is an issue only if the DVR and AnyRoom Terminal Box (ATB) is on at the same time.

I see two scenarios on the main TV

1) I want to watch TV or use the DVR as normal. I hit the power button on the remote and the DVR and ATB both come on. I manually turn off the ATB. Now it's irrelvenat and I use the DVR as normal.

2) I want to watch Anytime DVR recordings. Turn on both and manually turn off the DVR. I watch Anytime DVR Recordings as normal.

As long as we can split the signal downstairs and the ATB can see the Anytime DVR, the only constraint is that I can't watch Anytime and record normal DVR at the same time. Since most of our TV watching is on the weekend when we aren't recording anything, this shouldn't be a problem.

I don't have a problem paying for a 2nd DVR if it worked for me. I watch all TV on one set. Give me a programmable remote and 2 DVRs with different freqs and we're done.

Just want a solution that works. I was still using VCRs until a year ago when they released the DTRs. :-)

Put the second DVR in a adjacent room and buy a $20 TERK IR relay kit. Setup up the TERK transmitter in another corner of your TV viewing room so you have to point the remote in a different direction to activate the DVR in the other room.

Adjacent rooms work best especially if you want to connect some wiring between the two DVRs or your audio equipment as all it takes is a hole in the wall.

If you do go with a second full DVR, I'd recommend getting the AnyRoom setup (an extra $20/mo for the M-series DCX3400-M w/500GB hard drive, plus and extra $8/mo for the DCX-3200-M terminal unit w/o hard drive). This way, for only a little bit of chump change ($28/mo), you can be recording 4 shows at once and be watching 3 other different live shows live via the HDTV's QAM tuners

I just uncovered a new problem. Not sure if it's general to the DCX or specific to the AnyRoom version, so I'll post both places.

SW -- 78.54-a28p5.1005.r-6
FW -- 22.65

I often pause live TV (especially sports), then switch over to a recorded program for several minutes, then, with the Last button, switch back to "live" so I can FF through commercials. Now, however, when I switch back to "live," the paused program has advanced the same number of minutes that I was watching the recorded program. The "live" program is paused when I go back to it, but it is not at the same spot as when I paused it.

The only workaround I have found for this is to pause the live TV, swap tuners, and then start playing the recorded program. When I want to watch my paused program, use the Last button, and then swap tuners. When I do this, the paused program is still paused at the spot I left it.

I reported this to Comcast CS, and they promised to forward it to engineering.

We had our install, switching from DirecTV, so it was an install from scratch not just receiver upgrades. We were the third AnyRoom in this region. We had a tech with a good knowledge of the product who did the actual setup; the tech's supervisor who was an expert on the product and was there to make sure it went well and very willing to share technical info with me since he had not much else to do; and some regional manager who was learning about it. The install took a couple of hours, but quite a bit of that was waiting for everything to sync and push firmware and all that.

They were very particular and very cautious, after getting the filters and such set up, they redid all the ends on the cables. On the boxes, they first setting up the DVR and got it fully functional with firmware pushes and all that and then moving on to the slave receiver. I was told this was because the slave receivers can have issues if they go live for the first time and there's no moca network or the DVR is still updating. (Though I've since done some moving stuff around and randomly unplugged things and they come up without fail within 2 or 3 minutes.)

We had wanted a drop set up in another room for a planned shifting around of our house in a couple of months so we could just unplug and move the slave STB, but the supervisor explained they disconnect all but the live drops because there have been problems with interference on the MOCA lines. They also rootled around in the basement and traced all the cable lines they were using to make sure they weren't going near anything that might cause interference. So for the person that asked about moving stuff around, if the drop isn't live, they may disconnect it at installation, but otherwise, it should all work.

We were told that cost in this market is $19.95, but that includes one DVR and one secondary receiver. Additional receivers are $7.95. We haven't gotten a bill yet, and I don't trust comcast very much, so who knows if that's accurate.

In terms of the AnyRoom, it works as advertised. It's very fast, you wouldn't know the hard drive wasn't local.

The one issue we have is that the DVR keeps reverting the 4:3 setting to 480i stretch. The box turns off at the same point, so it might be some kind of reset by the headend, but it's very annoying to have to do the entire power off / menu thing.

We had our install, switching from DirecTV, so it was an install from scratch not just receiver upgrades. We were the third AnyRoom in this region. We had a tech with a good knowledge of the product who did the actual setup; the tech's supervisor who was an expert on the product and was there to make sure it went well and very willing to share technical info with me since he had not much else to do; and some regional manager who was learning about it. The install took a couple of hours, but quite a bit of that was waiting for everything to sync and push firmware and all that.

They were very particular and very cautious, after getting the filters and such set up, they redid all the ends on the cables. On the boxes, they first setting up the DVR and got it fully functional with firmware pushes and all that and then moving on to the slave receiver. I was told this was because the slave receivers can have issues if they go live for the first time and there's no moca network or the DVR is still updating. (Though I've since done some moving stuff around and randomly unplugged things and they come up without fail within 2 or 3 minutes.)

We had wanted a drop set up in another room for a planned shifting around of our house in a couple of months so we could just unplug and move the slave STB, but the supervisor explained they disconnect all but the live drops because there have been problems with interference on the MOCA lines. They also rootled around in the basement and traced all the cable lines they were using to make sure they weren't going near anything that might cause interference. So for the person that asked about moving stuff around, if the drop isn't live, they may disconnect it at installation, but otherwise, it should all work.

We were told that cost in this market is $19.95, but that includes one DVR and one secondary receiver. Additional receivers are $7.95. We haven't gotten a bill yet, and I don't trust comcast very much, so who knows if that's accurate.

In terms of the AnyRoom, it works as advertised. It's very fast, you wouldn't know the hard drive wasn't local.

The one issue we have is that the DVR keeps reverting the 4:3 setting to 480i stretch. The box turns off at the same point, so it might be some kind of reset by the headend, but it's very annoying to have to do the entire power off / menu thing.

What city are you located in?

Wow .... I wish I had that kind of install expertise when they installed AnyRoom in my 12 year old house in Beaverton, OR that already had Comcast Triple Play HD DVR service for many years. So far it has taken them 4 visits to get it working plus they are coming back tomorrow to fix the phone/internet modem wiring because my alarm system no longer can communicate with the Alarm Monitoring company. I did not realize that my alarm was not being able to call out until the alarm company called me a week later after they ran their regular weekly test.

The experience was sadly comical. I actually felt sorry for techs the way the dispatchers kept pushing them. For instance, after the first visit (just one tech) the terminal unit was not even communicating with the host and so the supv told the tech (after consulting with her by phone) to tell me to wait 24 hours to see it it would work later. He also hooked up the terminal unit first and tried to get an IP address for it before even installing the host DVR. Turns out the filter was placed in the wrong location plus the wiring to the host was not a direct home run (it had an old splitter in the attic that the stupid home builder placed in the walls which I had warned the tech about). After waiting 48 hrs the units were still not communicating, so two other techs came out and they went up into the attic but could not find the splitter, it so they just went with it "as-is" after they finally got communication between the units by moving the filter around. However, the filter got placed ahead of my "unamplified" takeoff for my own separate internet modem (because their supv told them to move my modem feed onto the 8-way amp). However, the next morning my high speed interent could not renew it's IP address. The next tech that came out said the earlier crew should have run a new home run to the host and he then repositioned the location of the filter to at least keep the DVR Host and Terminal units communicating plus get my internet working again. However, he did not have time to run the new wiring. So, I ordered and paid for new wiring to the host DVR unit along with new wiring to move my telephone modem from the garage into the same room as the host DVR. This way I could scrap my old separate Motorola SB5100 and use the Comcast combo telephone/internet modem that I already was paying $5.00 monthly for anyway. The first question the new wiring tech asked was if I had an alarm system before running the new wires and moving the modem, but their dispatcher was pushing hard again to move on to the next job, so I guess he forgot about the alarm wiring.

Thus I wait for another visit tomorrow.

Each different tech they sent out seemed to have more experience than the previous one and each would complain about the previous ones not doing the job right the first time, so it seems that there may some internal frustration or friction going on among the Comcast personnel in my area. I know they are heavily advertising for jobs at Comcast in my area, so they may be stretched thin.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that tomorrow is the last visit for a while .... not that they were not good guys ... they were all very polite and courteous.

My one complaint is that a Comcast recorded survey phones about an hour or two after each visit to take an automated customer satisfaction survey. I my case I did not complete the survey after the first visit (just hung up) but gave them high marks for the subsequent visits for which I wish to now retract because my troubles did not show up until the next day or next week (in the case of the alarm wiring).

Wow .... I wish I had that kind of install expertise when they installed AnyRoom in my 12 year old house in Beaverton, OR that already had Comcast Triple Play HD DVR service for many years. So far it has taken them 4 visits to get it working plus they are coming back tomorrow to fix the phone/internet modem wiring because my alarm system no longer can communicate with the Alarm Monitoring company. I did not realize that my alarm was not being able to call out until the alarm company called me a week later after they ran their regular weekly test.

The experience was sadly comical. I actually felt sorry for techs the way the dispatchers kept pushing them. For instance, after the first visit (just one tech) the terminal unit was not even communicating with the host and so the supv told the tech (after consulting with her by phone) to tell me to wait 24 hours to see it it would work later. He also hooked up the terminal unit first and tried to get an IP address for it before even installing the host DVR. Turns out the filter was placed in the wrong location plus the wiring to the host was not a direct home run (it had an old splitter in the attic that the stupid home builder placed in the walls which I had warned the tech about). After waiting 48 hrs the units were still not communicating, so two other techs came out and they went up into the attic but could not find the splitter, it so they just went with it "as-is" after they finally got communication between the units by moving the filter around. However, the filter got placed ahead of my "unamplified" takeoff for my own separate internet modem (because their supv told them to move my modem feed onto the 8-way amp). However, the next morning my high speed interent could not renew it's IP address. The next tech that came out said the earlier crew should have run a new home run to the host and he then repositioned the location of the filter to at least keep the DVR Host and Terminal units communicating plus get my internet working again. However, he did not have time to run the new wiring. So, I ordered and paid for new wiring to the host DVR unit along with new wiring to move my telephone modem from the garage into the same room as the host DVR. This way I could scrap my old separate Motorola SB5100 and use the Comcast combo telephone/internet modem that I already was paying $5.00 monthly for anyway. The first question the new wiring tech asked was if I had an alarm system before running the new wires and moving the modem, but their dispatcher was pushing hard again to move on to the next job, so I guess he forgot about the alarm wiring.

Thus I wait for another visit tomorrow.

Each different tech they sent out seemed to have more experience than the previous one and each would complain about the previous ones not doing the job right the first time, so it seems that there may some internal frustration or friction going on among the Comcast personnel in my area. I know they are heavily advertising for jobs at Comcast in my area, so they may be stretched thin.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that tomorrow is the last visit for a while .... not that they were not good guys ... they were all very polite and courteous.

My one complaint is that a Comcast recorded survey phones about an hour or two after each visit to take an automated customer satisfaction survey. I my case I did not complete the survey after the first visit (just hung up) but gave them high marks for the subsequent visits for which I wish to now retract because my troubles did not show up until the next day or next week (in the case of the alarm wiring).

Interesting. In SE Portland, the tech I had knew about all the issues, installed AnyRoom and phone service, and didn't leave until everything was working correctly. I think he was working out of the Vancouver, WA office.

Interesting. In SE Portland, the tech I had knew about all the issues, installed AnyRoom and phone service, and didn't leave until everything was working correctly. I think he was working out of the Vancouver, WA office.

Darn .... You know, if they were on the ball out here in Beaverton, they would have spotted the fact that they needed to run a new Cat5 phone line to a new phone jack to bring the dial tone from the relocated modem back to the alarm interface box at the very same time they were running the other two lines ..... and all were to be pulled to the very same location!

By golly, I'm starting to get madder and madder about the whole experience when I realize how much time I'm taking off to be here for the techs plus my home has had no security monitoring for several weeks. I'm not going to pay for the extra $50 truck roll cost tomorrow to install the extra phone line jack if they try to charge me for it .... I'll just pay the $20 for same time install (they ought not to charge me at all, but that's way too much to expect from a For-Profit corporation).

All my neighbors have been asking why all the Comcast trucks? When I tell the story they laugh and say they'll get FiOS instead.

But I'll bet FiOS techs have the same issues of time pressures, training, etc.

I don't know if it's controllable--check on the general DCX thread. But there are issues in general with HDMI handshake. I finally gave up and went with component at least until the next firmware upgrade.

In my case, it was picking up the resolutions my TV could display and setting the DVR correspondingly. However, that created a problem because the default for 480i is stretched (yuck) and the HDMI handshake overrides the manual setting not to do so. There's a bunch of other HDMI issues, green screens, stretch problems, etc. noted in the DCX thread.

I have any install scheduled for Friday, I got tired of waiting for general availability of the Ceton card for my HTPC and this was pretty much a wash cost wise compared to what I was already paying for my current HD-DVR, HD STB and Cablecard. If it works as advertised, I think I will be happy, if it doesn't then I will pony up the $399 for the Ceton card and another $300 for two extenders.

Been thinking about this. The remote is an issue only if the DVR and AnyRoom Terminal Box (ATB) is on at the same time.

I see two scenarios on the main TV

1) I want to watch TV or use the DVR as normal. I hit the power button on the remote and the DVR and ATB both come on. I manually turn off the ATB. Now it's irrelvenat and I use the DVR as normal.

2) I want to watch Anytime DVR recordings. Turn on both and manually turn off the DVR. I watch Anytime DVR Recordings as normal.

As long as we can split the signal downstairs and the ATB can see the Anytime DVR, the only constraint is that I can't watch Anytime and record normal DVR at the same time. Since most of our TV watching is on the weekend when we aren't recording anything, this shouldn't be a problem.

Does this sound do-able?

Yes, that sounds do-able.

I have two Scientific Atlanta 8300 HD DVRSs in the same room and I do a similar thing.

I don't think you will have a constraint on when you can record on the DVR, except you may not be able to turn off the DVR while it is recording. The DVR should be able to record while it is off. If you can not turn off the DVR while it is recording, just cover the remote sensor so it will not respond to commands from the remote control.

After you have one STB on and the other STB off, you can swap the box that is on with the box that is off by just pressing the power key.

this any room dvr service will not work for me. i got everything installed but lost a dvr. we use to have two dvr units but this service only gives you one main unit & a satilite. we need two dvr's in my home. so i'm unhooking everything this afrenoon & going back to what i had.

this any room dvr service will not work for me. i got everything installed but lost a dvr. we use to have two dvr units but this service only gives you one main unit & a satilite. we need two dvr's in my home. so i'm unhooking everything this afrenoon & going back to what i had.

Unfortunately that's an issue with a lot of people & why people should know what they're getting & what they can do with the equipment before going through the hassle of the install. It's a great feature to be able to watch a show from the main box on another TV but I need my 2 individual DVR's more than that 1 convenience feature.

Does anyone know if there are limitations on number of splits or if boxes have to be direct runs or anything like that? I have multiple tv's in the same room and would love to have multi-room dvr service. Thanks.

Can anyone confirm whether or not the 30-second skip works on satellite units (so long as you have programmed the remote)? Also, if you're watching live TV on one of the satellite units, you cannot pause correct?

Currently have two DVRs but I'm weighing out the pros/cons of going with this system instead.

Can anyone confirm whether or not the 30-second skip works on satellite units (so long as you have programmed the remote)? Also, if you're watching live TV on one of the satellite units, you cannot pause correct?

Currently have two DVRs but I'm weighing out the pros/cons of going with this system instead.

That right there is a definate deal breaker as far as I'm concerned. Pausing live TV is my most used feature.

Can the satellite units jump back 15 seconds during live TV? That is my 2nd most used feature.

Basic recording is my 3rd most used feature.

Now actually watching what I recorded? .... Well, I never seem to get around to that due to busy times these days.

On satellite units, live TV is just like the ordinary digital box. There's no hard drive in the satellite box. So no pause or rewind on live TV. It just allows you to access the DVR as if it were on Demand. When you watch on demand, you can pause and do the rest (although I haven't programmed the skip in to see if it works, but I assume it does).